Restless to Garden in Bozeman? Do These Basic Things

Spring is a challenging time for us folks who like to garden in Gallatin County. I'm no expert or degree holder in horticulture but I DO feel your pain.

My feeling has always been: If you want to start some stuff indoors now...go ahead. It's almost therapeutic and what's the worst that can happen? Some of your starts don't take or get spindly? Who cares? If you keep yourself (and perhaps the little ones) entertained, it's all good in my book.

• GET THOSE BASKETS PREPPED FOR FLOWERS - If you already have hanging wire or plastic baskets, make sure they're clean and ready for dirt and new plants. Coco baskets in terrible shape? You don't have to spend money on liners if you'd prefer to go a cheaper route. Use scrap fabric to line the baskets. I've done that many times and it works great.
• GET YOUR SEEDS - Always the best part for me. Even if I have plenty from past seasons, I can never resist the urge to order at least a few more packs or seeds. A funky-colored cherry tomato? MUST HAVE IT! Order what makes you happy. Have you ever seen dwarf sunflowers? They're lovely and super easy to grow. Generally, sunflowers don't like to be transplanted but I've NEVER had an issue starting them indoors then moving them to bigger pots and eventually outside.
• HECK, GO AHEAD AND START SOME SEEDS - We've got quite a ways to go until our last frost date which means whatever you start now, you'll be coddling indoors a lot longer. Do you care? I don't. Some things I avoid - like climbing veggies, obviously. But try some flowers! Do the herb thing! Whatever the heck you want. What's the worst that could happen? You kill them and have to start over?
• GET YOUR DIRT -  If you've got room to store a few bags, grab your potting soil if you're like me and strictly container garden. Lots of places around town are already decently stocked...even with the good, fancy organic stuff. I have a feeling that we're going to have another busy Spring of gardeners...some people are still spending way more time at home until they are completely vaccinated, and that might be a couple/few more months.

Don't forget - those plastic clamshell containers that you might have laying around from take-out or delivery can't be recycled around here. Use them as mini-greenhouses in your sunny windows when you start your seeds! Their size makes them super easy to move around if you need to "follow the sun" around your house.